Michael Skinner (1941 1998) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

magician known for his

close-up magic Close-up magic (also known as table magic or micromagic) is magic performed in an intimate setting usually no more than 3 meters (10 feet) from one's audience and is usually performed while sitting at a table. Sleight-of-hand, also known as pr ...

work. He was born in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

in 1941; but he spent most of his professional life living and working in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

. Skinner worked for over 20 years as the magician-in-residence at the Golden Nugget, but he also made appearances in other venues. He also performed twice on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

''."Michael Skinner"
(2012). MagicPedia. Retrieved 2013-05-03. Skinner was known for his large repertoire. He was reported to have once performed 28 consecutive shows without the repetition of a single trick during a full week of bookings at

the Magic Castle The Magic Castle is a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, as well as the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts. It is in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California and it bills itself as "the most unusual private club in t ...

."Michael Skinner Magician"
(2012). Club Magician. Retrieved 2012-11-25. Skinner studied under magicians Eddie Fechter and

Dai Vernon Dai Vernon (pronounced alternatively as "DIE" or as "DAY" as in David; June 11, 1894 – August 21, 1992), a.k.a. The Professor, was a Canadian magician. His sleight of hand technique and knowledge, particularly with card tricks and close ...

References

1941 births 1998 deaths American magicians People from Rochester, New York Academy of Magical Arts Close-Up Magician of the Year winners Academy of Magical Arts Performing Fellowship winners {{US-entertainer-stub